Sunday, January 19, 2025, 2:45AM |  34°
MENU
Advertisement
1
MORE

WPIAL volleyball champion gets no favors in PIAA tournament

WPIAL volleyball champion gets no favors in PIAA tournament

The PIAA uses a predetermined bracket for all of its team championships. The brackets change slightly every two years so the same matchups do not occur every year.

The predetermined format will sometimes place two or more of the best teams in the state in the same half of the bracket. And in some scenarios, two of the top teams could meet in the first round. That’s the case with this year’s PIAA Class 4A girls volleyball bracket.

“The WPIAL champ has a tougher draw in the first round than the WPIAL runner-up,” said North Allegheny coach Heidi Miller after looking at the predetermined bracket that will be used this year in Class 4A.

Advertisement

The WPIAL champion is matched up with the District 6 champion in the first round, while the WPIAL runner-up faces either the District 10 champion or the City League champion.

Dominique Felix (No. 11), a senior outside hitter at North Catholic, is one of the top players in the state and will follow her sister to Sacred Heart University next year.
Ken Wunderley
North Catholic standout Dominique Felix anxious to join her sister at Sacred Heart

State College has won eight consecutive District 6 titles and is a strong favorite to repeat. The Little Lions are No. 3 in the PVCA state rankings. District 10 does not have a team ranked in the top 10. The City League has never posted a victory in the state tournament.

“State College is one of the top teams in the state,” said Miller, who has led North Allegheny to back-to-back PIAA titles. “We faced them in the State College tournament and split two very close games in pool play. It’s a shame that the WPIAL and District 6 champions play in the first round. One of the top teams in the state will be eliminated in the first round.”

North Allegheny has been ranked No. 1 in the PVCA Class 4A rankings all season, followed by Bishop Shanahan, the PIAA runner-up the past two years.

Advertisement

Bishop Shanahan is led by senior outside hitter Cara Schultz, who was voted to the PVCA Class 4A all-star team last year. State College is led by Kacy Sekunda, a junior setter/opposite who was also a PVCA all-star last year.

Class 1A

Northern Cambria and Clarion are considered the favorites in Class 1A. That’s no surprise after watching both squads advance to the semifinals of the North Allegheny tournament the final weekend of the regular season. Their performance was even more impressive considering they were the only Class 1A entries in the 19-team field.

Northern Cambria, a District 6 school, won the 2018 PIAA title despite a young squad that had only two seniors. Colts coach Mike Hogan echoed those thoughts after last year’s championship match.

“We weren’t supposed to be here until next year [2019],” Hogan said. “Our kids are driven and resilient and they came through when we needed it. They grew up a lot this year and it shows.”

This year’s Northern Cambria squad features three players who were recognized on the PVCA Class 1A all-star team: senior outside hitter Maggie Hogan, senior libero Rayna Buza and junior setter Camryn Dumm. Maggie Hogan, coach Hogan’s daughter, is a two-time PVCA honoree and considered the best Class 1A player in the state.

Clarion, a District 9 school, faced Northern Cambria in the 2018 PIAA quarterfinals and dropped a 3-1 decision. The Bobcats lineup features two PVCA all-stars in junior setter Brenna Campbell and senior libero Kyara Girvin. Campbell is a two-time PVCA honoree.

Bishop Canevin lost to Northern Cambria, 3-1, in last year’s first round. The Crusaders have qualified for the PIAA tournament eight of the past nine years and are expected to make another appearance this year.

The WPIAL champion and runner-up will be hard pressed to win a PIAA title since both are in the same half of the bracket with Northern Cambria and Clarion.

Class 2A

Bald Eagle Area won the PIAA Class 2A title last year and two of its four victories were against WPIAL teams. The Eagles defeated Serra Catholic in the first round, then beat Freeport in the semifinals.

Most of Bald Eagles’ championship squad are back, including five players who were recognized on the PVCA all-state team. Senior outside hitter Grace Hugar and senior setter Madison Rockey are two-time honorees, while senior middle hitters Lacee Barnhart and Taylor Kilmer and junior libero Lexi Skirpek are one-time honorees. Rockey owns the school record with more than 3,000 career assists.

Bald Eagle, a District 6 team located in Bellefonte, has been ranked No. 1 in the state all season. North Catholic moved up to No. 2 in the rankings midway through the regular season. The two squads faced off in pool play at the North Allegheny tournament.

“We split with Bald Eagle in pool play,” North Catholic coach Amanda Fetter said. “They are very good defensively, and have a really good setter, two good middle hitters and one good outside hitter. Their role players are also strong. They are a very cohesive squad. They probably play club ball together.”

Class 3A

Pope John Paul II, a District 1 school located in Royersford Borough, is considered the PIAA favorite in Class 3A. Royersford is 32 miles northwest of Philadelphia. The Golden Panthers advanced to the PIAA quarterfinals last year before losing to eventual champion Western York.

The Golden Panthers lineup features three players who were voted to the PVCA Class 3A all-star team last year: senior outside hitter Sarah Ward, junior middle hitter Hannah Tulli and junior setter Chelsea Harvey.

City League

Allderdice claimed its sixth consecutive City League title on Oct. 23. The Dragons defeated Brashear, 2-1, in the title match and have won 65 consecutive matches against City League competition.

“I was a senior outside hitter on the first of the six championship teams [in 2014],” said first-year coach Maiti Keen, who was a four-year starter and 2015 graduate at Allderdice. “It’s great to come back as a coach and be a part of the sixth consecutive title.”

Allderdice’s squad features two players who have been recognized twice as first-team all-City League: senior setter Emily Graham and junior outside hitter Ella Rubenstein.

“We had a lot of players back from last year’s squad, so winning another City League title was no surprise,” Keen said. “It’s great to keep the streak going.”

Allderdice has qualified for the PIAA tournament and will compete in the Class 4A bracket. The Dragons will face District 10 champion Erie McDowell in a play-in match on Saturday. The winner will advance to Tuesday’s first round.

“Our goal is to make it to the next round,” said Keen, realizing the City League has never won a PIAA match in girls volleyball. “We have a lot of talented players who are very determined and driven.”

The quarterfinals will be held Nov. 9, followed by the semifinals Nov. 12. The title matches will be held Nov. 16 at Cumberland Valley High School.

First Published: November 1, 2019, 10:00 a.m.

RELATED
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Fans of all ages attend PiratesFest to kick off the 2025 season on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center Downtown.
1
sports
‘Where is Bob?’: Fans express frustration with ownership, lack of success during PiratesFest
Russell Wilson #3 and Justin Fields #2 of the Pittsburgh Steelers warm up prior to the game against the New York Giants at Acrisure Stadium on October 28, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
2
sports
Gerry Dulac: The Steelers are looking for direction and purpose. How will the roster look in 2025?
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., speaks at a campaign rally for Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris at Erie Insurance Arena, in Erie, Pa., Oct. 14, 2024.
3
news
John Fetterman was elected to challenge convention. Now, he's challenging his fellow Democrats.
Josh Willy, Penn Hills High teacher of 23 years, died in a single-vehicle crash on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
4
news
Penn Hills High mourns loss of longtime teacher in vehicle crash
A City of Pittsburgh River Rescue boat navigates through ice on the Allegheny River Downtown Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. Pittsburgh is forecast to see extreme cold weather next week, with wind chills of 20 degrees below zero possible.
5
news
Pittsburgh is under an extreme cold watch. Here's what that means and how to prepare.
Advertisement
LATEST sports
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story